Pneumatic-motor mechanism



June 3 1924.

P. R. FORMAN PNEUMATIC MOTOR MECHANISM Filed April 25 Ps R. FORMAN PNEUMATIC MOTOR MECHANISNI Filed April 25 1917 2 Shee-Shjee. 2

K y 3 wuefnloz M mmm@ Patented .lune 3, 1924.

UNITED STATES .PATENT OFFICE.

PARIS R. FORMAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO NATIONAL PNEUMATIC COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, NY., A. CORPORATION OF VIRGINIA.

rNEUMA'rIc-Mo'ron MEcHANrsM.

Application led April 25, 1917. Serial No. 164,864.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, PARIS R. FORMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, county of Cook, tate of Illinois,

have made a certain new and useful Invention in Pneumatic-Motor Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to pneumatic motor mechanism, and particularly to motors of the electrically controlled pneumatic pressure actuated type, as fused for the operation of doors.

The object of the invention is to provide what I term an intermediate stop door operating device.

A further object is to provide means controlled from any desired point to permit the door, for example, to move from its intermediate stop in either direction.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the character referred to which is simple in structure, eilicient in opeilation and cheap to manufacture and instal A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described which is pneumatically actuated and electrically controlled.

Other objects of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter.

The invention consists substantially in the construction, combination, location and relative arrangement of parts, all as will be more fully hereinafter set forth, as shown by the accompanying drawings, and finally pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view, partially sectioned, of a pneumatic pressure actuated door control system with electrical control, and embodying my invention.

Figs. 2, 3, and 4, are detail views showing the respective operative positions of the pneumatic pressure control valve.

Figs. 5 and 6, are similar views in section of the lock device employed in accordance with my invention.

Figs. 7 and Sare detail views of one feature of the electrical control circuit switch showing dierent positions of the same,

The same part is designated by the same reference numeral wherever it occurs throughout the several views.

lVihile I have shown and will now describe my invention as applied for the purintermediate point.

pose of -operating doors, such, for example,

as doors on cars, trains or the like, I wish it to be understood that my invention, as defined in the claims, is not to be limited to this specific use, as the saine is applicable to any and all uses where an intermediate stop controlfor a pneumatically actuated mechanism is desired.

In the street car art, it is the common practice to divide the entrance platform or the like, where passengers alight from and board the car, into incoming and outgoing passageways. It is also common to employ two separate doors for closing the two separated passageways, each door having its own,

ymotor andmotor -control, whereby either or to provide means whereby an operator, in

initiating a movement of the door, say for example, the opening movement, is enabled to determine at will whether or not the ldoor movement shall continue to the limit of its travel or shall stop at a predetermined It is also among the 85 special purposes of vmy invention to rovide means whereby the operator is ena led to so control the door movement when such movement is initiated, thatl the door will complete its movement to the limit thereof whether it is started from its initial completely open or completely closed position or from its intermediate stop position.

IVhere pneumatic motors are employed it is desirable to effect a control thereof from a distant point with but a momentary o eration, not involving much manual la or. For this, and other reasons, electric con trol systems have been adopted in the art,4 employing various forms of magnet valves, uw or their equivalent, for either controlling, by the operation of a push button inthe circuit of the magnet valve, the supply of air pressure `to the door o erating motor, or the air pressure valve which controls the W5 same. Heretofore the operation of the magnet valve or the air pressure valve has insured the complete opening or closing of the door, that is, under no circumstances could the door reach and stay at a half open or o half closed osition so as to close one passageway and leave the other passageway open. Due to a number of reasons chief among which is the fact that the cars, trains or the like, of this type are generally equipped with a car motor control system which is directly associated with the doors so that the motor control is rendered inoperative as long as any door on the car or train is open, a loss of time frequently occurs due to the full operation of the door operating motor thereby greatly reducing the time of the trip schedule of the car or train. For example, it frequently happens that a passenger wishes to board the car o1' train, but no passenger desires to alight from the same. Heretofore, regardless of whether passengers merely wish to board and none wish to alight from the car or train, or vice versa, it has been necessary to completely open the door and thus both of the passageways, and, of course, the car or train is not started again until the door is again completely closed.

lt is also among the special purposes of my present invention to provide an air pressure actuated door operating motor, and to control the same electrically whereby the door either may be partially opened or partially closed so as to uncover only the `incoming passageway, or the outgoing passageway, as the case may be, and which may be generally described as an intermediate stop motor, or whereby the doormay be opened or closed .entirely thereby opening 1 or" closing both the incomlng and outgoing operating motor,

passageways.

In the drawings, 1 designates the door which motor may be of any well known structure, preferably of the double piston and rack type, the teeth 2 ofthe rack engaging with the teeth of a segment gear 3, mounted on shaft 4, to rock the same and the arm 5 secured thereto, which arm is suitably connected to the door or the like 6, in the usual and well known manner. The valve for controlling the supply of air pressure to either end of the motor 1, is illustrated diagrammatically at 7. rlhis is the usual and well known structure and arrangement of motors of this nature, the only change being that the door actuating arm 5 is provided with an elongated end 8, as shown, for aI urpose to be more fully hereinafter descri ed. At 9 l show a door switch of the pole type, wherein the pole 10 is made of insulating material such as wood, libre or the like, and is connected hy the link or extension 11 to the door arm 5 so that the pole 10, with its conducting collars 12, 13 will assume a definite predetermined position relative to the contact terminals 14-15, 16-17 vand 18-19 for every position of the door.

l wf." now describe the apparatus which the valve 7 will be in one wire 45.

Lanarte enables the electric control of the motor, or, as shown, of the valve controlling the su ply of air pressure to the motor. At a sultable osition relative to the motor, I place a diierential piston device comprising two cylinders 20, 2l and a. relatively small cylinder 22 connecting the two, as shown. 0perating in the large cylinders are pistons 23, 24 and in the smaller cylinder, piston 25. The pistons are independent of each other, as clearly shown. Secured to the piston 25, through a slot in the cylinder 22 is a pin 26, to which is connected a rod 27, which rod is connected to the handle 28 of the valve 7 F rom this it will be seen thatwhen the piston 25 is in its extreme let position, extreme position, and when the piston 25 is moved to its extreme right position, the rod 27 will draw the valve handle and valve to its other eX- treme position. For controllin the various pistons 23, 24 and 25, l provide the well known magnet valves diagrammatically illustrated at 29, 30 and 31. Compressed air is supplied to the valve 29 through connection 32, and the valves 30, 31 are supplied through the connection 33. The compressed air passes through valve 29, when the same is opened, to cylinders 20, 21 at their extreme outer ends to operate on the respective pistons 24, 23 to force the same inwardly or towards each other. Likewise, compressed air passes through valves 30 and 31, respectivel when their magnets are energized, to the respective cylinders 21, 20, to operate on the pistons 23, 25, 24 to force the pistons 23, 24 outwardly, and to force the piston 25 either @to the right or left, as the case may be, according to which valve is energized.

The control of the valves may be ei'ected in any suitable or desired way, and the control may be located at any desired place .on the car, train or the like. For the purposes of illustrating the principles of my invention, I show a push button panel 40, provided with the push button switches 41, 42, 43. Each l the switches is connected to the positive side of the current source, as shown. The switch 41 is connected to the terminal 14 and the magnet coil 44 of magnet valve 30 to return wire 45, or the negative side of the current supply mains. Switch 42 is connected to all three of the contacts 15, 17 and 19. Switch 43 is connected to contact 16, and also to coil 46 of magnet valve 31, and thence to the return Contact 18 is connected to the coil 47 of magnet valve 29, and thence to the return wire 45.

The operation of the system is as follows: Assuming that the various elements are in the position shown, that is, the door which is to be operated, is in its closed position', the switch device 9, and the valve consource through switch 41 to coil 44 of magnet valve 30, and back to the return wire 45. This energizes the magnet coil and shifts valve 30 to admit air pressure from the source through connection 33, valve'30 and up to the left hand cylinder 21, thereby forcing the piston 25 to the right and consequently pulling the rod 27 and valve handlel 28 in the same direction and thereby opening the valve 7 to admit air pressure into the motor 1 to actuate the same. The position the parts of the valve control device assume is shown in detail in Fig. 6, and the position the parts of the switch device 9 assume is shown in detail in Fig. 8.

When it is desired to close the door, the switch 43 is depressed completing the circuit from the supply main through switch 43, to coil 46 of magnet valve 31 to return. This energizes the magnet valve and admits air pressure through source connect-ion 33, and valve 31, to cylinder 20, causing the pist-on 25, rod 27, and valve handle 28 to move to their extreme left position, thereby actuating the valve 7 to operate the motor 1 to close the door, in the well known manner, and again placing the switch device 9, and parts of the valve control device again in the position shown in Fig. 1.`

Now assume that the door is closed, and that the push button controlling switch 42 is depressed. The following circuit is then established, from main through switch 42 to contact 15, conducting ferrule 12, contact 14, coil 44 of magnet valve 30 and return 45. As above described, this causes the motor to open the door. It will be noted that a continued depression of switch 42v is unnecessary since .its function is completed when the pneumatic motor valve 7 has been actuated. As the door arm 5 moves to open the door, the switch rod 10 secured thereto .slides by the contacts of the switch device 9 until the errule 13 establishes a circuit between contacts 18 and 19. lf at. this insta-nt the switch 42 is closed, or if it has remained closed after its first manipulation the following circuit is completed: from supply main. through switch 42 to contact 19, ferrule 13, contact 18. coil 47 of magnet valve 29. This opens the valve 29 and admits air pressure from source through connection 32, and valve 29 to the outer ends ofthe cylinders 21, 20 thereby forcing pistons `23, 24, toward their center position, thus centering the same together with piston 25, as shown in detail in Fig. 5.

The switch device 9 will be in the position shown in Fig. 7,A with the circuit Ato valve coils 44 and 46 broken, and the motor 1 at rest, and thus the door assumes its predetermined intermediate stop position. It is obvious with the door in its intermediate position, that by closing either switch 41 or 43, and thus energizing either valve coil 44 or'46, the door will be completely closed or completely opened, according to which switch is operated.

It is also obvious that with the door completely open and the switch device 9 in the position shown in Fig. 8, it is also possible to secure the intermediate stop of the door during its closing movement. the initial actuating current passing from switch 42, contact 17, and subsequently contact 19, ferrule 13, contact 18, and magnet coil 47. thus centering the valve controlling device, all as above described.

ing the door in its intermediate-stop position. In Figs. 5 and 6 I show one simple arrangement for accomplishing this wherein I provide a locking dog 50 pivotally mounted at 51, and provided with a pivot lug 52. Passing through the lug 52 and pivotally secured between its ends to a sliding collar 53 on the rod 27, is a member 54. A nut holds the member 54 in the lug 52, and a coil s ring 55 is interposed bletween the lug and t e collar 53 on the member 54. The end of the member 54 is pivotally connected to a member 56 which is adapted to move about its fixed connection 57. Assuming that the lock device is in the position shown in Fig. 1, when the rod 27 moves towards the right to the intermediate stop position, that is, when the valve control device is centered., as shown in;Fig. 5, the lock device is centered also, with the notch 58 of thc dog 50 engaging the lower end 8 of the door operating arm, and locking the same` all due to the fact that the dog 50 rides upwards about its pivot 51, when the toggle assumes a straight line a neutral position, as shown. The dog 50. on either side of the notch 58, is beveled to allow the arm 8 of the motor to depress the dog 50 on spring 55 until the arm 8 falls in the notch 58 in case the lock-dog reaches its position before the door has stopped its movement, and thus insure the proper locking action of the dog, under all operating conditions for the intermediate stop position. It is obvious that with but a light movement of the valve control device, the lock is released, or. in other words, further operation of the motor control -circuit automatically releases the lock.

While the valve control of the motor 1 is well known in the art, and in common use, I show in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the three positions of the valve for the condition of the motor when the door is at its closed, intermediate-stop, and open positions respectively.

The compressed air supply is connected to the port 60. Port 61 is connected to extreme end of the right hand cylinder of the motor, and the port 62 is connected to the extreme end of the left hand cylinder of the motor 1. The port 63 is open to exhaust. Port 64 is connected to the adjacent or near end of the left 'hand cylinder of the motor, and port 65 is connected to the adjacent or near end of the right hand cylinder of the motor, all in the usual manner. The passages 70, 71 of the valve are so arranged that when the door is closed, as shown in Fig. 1, the compr ssed air source is in communication with the left cylinder of the motor and the port 65 registers with the exhaust, as shown in Fig. 2. `When the door is moved to its intermediate position, none of the ports are in register with either the supply or exhaust port, as shown -in Fig. 3. -When the 'door is lnoved to its opened position, the port 64 is in communication with exhaust and the `port 61 is in communication with the air supply.

While l have shown and described a specific structure embodying the principles of my invention, it is to be understood that my invention, as defined in the claims, is not to be limited or restricted to any specific details of construction or operation, as it is evident-that various changes and modifica-- tions will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art.

Therefore, what I claim as new and useful, and of my own invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is,-

1. rlhe combination with a pneumatic pressure actuated motor, of electrically controlled means for controllingthe supply of pressure to and from said motor, and means for independently operating and controlling said electrically contrlled means to center the same in neutral position at an intermediate position of the working stroke of said motor.

2. The` combination with a neumatic pressure actuated motor, of electrically controlled means, and means for independently operating and controlling said electrically controlled means to center the same in neutral position at an intermediate position of the Working stroke of said motor. 1

3. The combination with a pneumatic pressure actuated motor, of a valve for controlling the supply of pressure to the motor, means for shifting the valve from one extreme position to the other extre e position, and means operated and controlled independently of said shifting me ns for centering said valve shifting means go place and retain said valve in a neutral position intermediate its extreme positions. y,

4. The combination with a pneumatic pressure actuated motor, of a valve for controlling the supply of pressure to the`\morecense tor, electrically controlled means for shifting said valve from one eXtreme position to its other extreme position, and electrically controlled means for centering said valve shifting means to place and retain said valve in a neutral position intermediate its extreme positions.

5. The combination with a pneumatic pressure actuated motor, of a valve for controlling the supply of pressure to the motor, electrically controlled pressure actuated means for shifting said valve from one extreme position to its other extreme position, and electrically controlled pressure actuated means to place and retain said valve in a neutral position intermediate its extreme positions.

.6. The combination 'with a pneumatic pressure actuated motor, of a valve for controlling the supply of air pressure to the motor, air pressure actuated means for shifting said valve from one extreme position to its other eXtreme position, and air pressure actuated means for placing and retaining said valve in a neutral position intermediate its extreme ositions.

7. The combination with a pneumatic pressure actuated motor, a valve for controlling the supply of air pressure to said motor, electrically controlled devices for controlling said valve, means for centering said valve control in an intermediate neutral position, a circuit for said controlling means, a switch for controlling said circuit, means for initially operating said valve control devices to operate said motor, and means controlled by a predetermined amount of operation of said motor for closing said switch to render said valve centering means operative to stop the operation of said motor at an intermediate position.

8. The combination with a pneumatic pressure actuated motor, a valve for controlling the sup ly of air pressure to said motor. electrica ly controlled devices for controlling said valve, means for centering said valve control in an intermediate neutral position, a circuit forisaid controlling means, a. switch for controlling said circuit, means for initially operating said valve control devices to operate said motor, and means controlled by a predetermined amount of operation of said motor for closing said switch to render said valve centering means operative to stop the operation of said motor at an intermediate position, and means for locking said motor in its intermediate position.

9. The combination with a pneumatic pressure actuated motor, a valve for controlling the supply of air pressure to said motor, electrically controlled devices for controlling said valve, means for centering said valve control in an intermediate neutral position, a circuit for said controlling iao means, a switch for controlling said circuit, means for initially operating said valve control devioes'to operate said motor, and means controlled by a predetermined amount of operation of said motor for closing said switch to render said valve centering means operative toy stop the operation of said motor at an intermediate position, and means controlled by said valve control devices for locking said motor in its intermediate position.

10. In an electrically controlled pneumatic pressure actuated system, the combination with a part to be moved, a motor for actuating the same, electrically controlled devices for controlling the supply of air pressure to said motor to move said part, electrically controlled means for centering said fluid pressure control devices in an intermediate neutral position, a switch device controlled by said motor for con trolling said means, and means for initially operating said motor to close said switch.

ln testimony whereof I have hereunto` set my hand in the presence of the subscribing Witnesses, on this 14th day of April A. D., 1917. l

rams R. FORMAN.

Witnesses:

GEO. A. SUITS CEAS. A. GERING. 

